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STUDENT FORUM
on BUDGET CUTBACKS
The following letter to the Minister for Education was written by 2 TYO students.
22nd October 2008
Dear Minister O'Keefe,
We are aware of the Dept. of Education's budget cutbacks for 2009. And while we appreciate that financial cutbacks are necessary because of the current state of the economy, the cutbacks that we will be facing are disgraceful and severely compromise the level of education we recieve.
In the last twenty years, Ireland has seen vast improvements in the educational standards of its citizens and what is expected of them in the technical society we now live in. Surely with Ireland becoming an extremely well-educated country we do not want to fall behind the rest of the western world when it comes to our citizens skills.
In Our School
We have always had a Book Rental Scheme (at a cost of 100 euro per student per annum).Even at this fair rate in relation to the actual cost of buying the books brand new, 40% of our fellow class-mates cannot afford this fee for hardship reasons. We feel the abolition of the Book Rental Scheme will eliminate the prospect of school attendance for the less well-off.With a 57% unemployment increase in Leitrim so far this year (including many parents), the question must be asked, how will parents be able to afford a 300-450 euro bill for books if the Book Rental Scheme is gone?
The school bus fees will be doubled, coming in at 300 euro per student. This is regrettable as people simply do not have the money on top of the proposed book fees !
In our school of approximately 600 students, we have one chemistry teacher, one physics teacher and one art teacher.If any one of them was to retire or otherwise leave the school, under the new rules, they could not be replaced because the school is mandated to cut down on the teaching staff by attrition. So, hypothetically, if our physics and chemistry teachers were to retire simultaneously students from the Community School, Carrick on Shannon would be unable to study medicine at 3rd level because they will not have been taught the necessary subjects required to attain this in the Leaving Cert. We're sure we're not the only school which is looking down the line to the effects this will have in the future. As second level students we are being truly honest when we say that we are frightened at what the next few years have in store for us, when it comes down to our education. We have been extremely lucky throughout our years in school so far, because we have looked at people in their twenties, thirties and forties who have really benefitted from the years of the Celtic Tiger and we were misled into thinking that's what was in store for us.
Removal of funding and resources to facilitate sporting activities away from the school premises is not only unhealthy both physically and mentally, it contradicts the aims of the Community School, whose ethos is to provide opportunities for social inclusion, team-building and a competitive spirit.
Other events like the bi-annual school musical will be wiped out in one ministerial stroke because teacher resources are no longer available. The school musicals have been enjoyed by the students and the community itself for years now.Participation in the musical in whatever capacity built up students self-confidence and brought the school community much closer together.
It can be safely said that the removal of all these activities will have long-term effects detrimental on the school's general atmosphere adversely impacting today's students and the students of the future. Education is the backbone of our country and must be maintained to the highest standards whatever the cost.
Education is essential to the future of our country and Irelands place in the world. We urge you to reconsider this harsh and injurious budget for 2009. The effects of this education budget may not be seen for ten years, by which time Ireland will have lost its educational advantage for which it is hifghly esteemed.
Is that your wish?
Yours sincerely,
Deirdre Dolan and Gemma Lawrence (Transition Year students, Carrick on Shannon Community School)